94

This game never gets old

This is a classic strategy game. It was one of my favorite games as a kid and even now it holds up as being great. I've never been a huge fan of RTS games, but Age of Empires is one of the few exceptions. Plus it incorporates bits of history into it as well, which made learning about history more fun for me as well. If you like war strategy games, this is definitely a game for you.

100

Classic

I think it's the only game I can give a 100/100 score.
Combats that can last days (literally). Play it with friends and save the game when you feel tired, then keep playing from that save, that simple! I loved that feature.
Playing alone is also a great experience, I've spent hours on the old one and it's gret to see the graphic improvements (when I played it the floor was red because of the color depth). I really enjoyed this game, and I strongly reccomend anyone to buy it!
WOLOLO

90

Age of Empires II in HD with steam workshop integration

AoE II is a 1999 2D isometric RTS game that marked an era on the RTS genre and this new version, luckily, just revamps it with widescreen/HD patches, a few bugfixes, reworked water/effects and steam workshop integration.
While widescreen/HD graphic support was a must have and there was no actual need for water or effects reworks, steam workshop integration is what makes this new version worth buying.
On the workshop you're able to mod almost every part of the game, this increases even further the decennial longevity of this game. A few examples of currently available steam workshop items are: complete texture packs, water/coast mods, entire campaigns, extremely well made maps, ...
So, game system is exactly how AoE II was, one of the best ones ever among RTS games, extremely balanced and quite various, with slight but substantial differences between civilizations.
Graphic is good, not what you would expect from a 2013 game but strictly speaking about the HD port quality I couldn't think of any way it could have been done better.
Music got some nice remixes, most of them made it sound more "medieval", which as far as I'm concerned it really nice.
In the end I'd say that even at full price (which is maybe 30%~35% more than you may expect from an HD port of a 10+ year old game) I'd recommend buying this game, mostly because of steam workshop integration that really made (and still makes) the difference on my gameplay experience.

91

Top ten RTS

Admittedly not a game I personally played back when it came out, Age of Empires II is a very good medieval era successor to the original. You will play amongst castles and villages, with knights, archers and siege weapons, to name a few. Graphics are significantly upgraded in this remastered version, and the amount of content will take many hours to complete.
The game looks and runs well on modern systems, and has held up very well over the years. The ability to easily play online against others on Steam is another great reason to pick this version up and move on from the original copy you may have. The campaigns are enjoyable, the amount of units and civilizations have enough differences to allow for different strategies, and overall this is definitely a top 10 RTS.
Well recommended to all that have the game already or have yet to try it after all these years.

87

One of the greatest games

This is one of my favourite games of all time. It's a classic game, which now supports all newer computer systems and the improved multiplayer allows you to connect to your friends easily through steam. It offers a lot of fun playing on your own or with friends or family. The game also has steam workshop support allowing you to find and install custom scenarios quickly and install new unit and texture mods with a click of a button. This is a great game and is highly recommended! ;)

87

In my top 5 rts

Age of empires 2 is still one of my favorite RTS of all time. It was probably the first I ever played. I never bothered with the first one, but the second stole a lot of my time. Great variety of civilizations to pick from, each with their strengths and weaknesses. Pretty solid campaigns from history, and the expansion adds on a few more, all with their different goals beyond just normal domination. You can definitely see the improvement in the graphics. The buildings and geography have definitely been polished.
one of my favorite parts is the map editor. You can build a huge, all-out battle, your indomitable fortress, or if you want to put in the time and intricacy build a full campaign. I think I spent just as much time on building scenarios as I did on the main game. Some of the campaigns will take some serious strategy, especially depending on the difficulty you choose. You can lose countless hours in this classic.

86

Remastered RTS-Classic

Age Of Empires 2 is the best RTS I played so far. It combines an easy-to-learn gameplay with a lot of possiblities and strategies. The gameplay is mostly the same compared to it's predecessor, but enhances it with more content. The graphics are not even the only highlight of this HD-remake, it's more the Steam-Workshop, which is integrated. Now you're free to add textures, content or other things without paying any money for it.
Moreover the game still receives balance- and performance-updates to improve the gameplay. The only thing I miss in this game is the LAN-mode, which was removed.
Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

82

A Classic

This is one of the best RTS ever made. The HD Edition looks a bit better then the original but not a lot. The perfomance is very good and I have no problem to play with Win 7.
-Soundtrack 10/10: just awesome and nostalgic
-Graphic 2/10: it looks like the orignal, but still awesome
-Gameplay: 10/10 lots of classes
-Balance: 9/10 very fair, lots of difficulties

85

Same great game

Age of Empires 2 is one of the all time classic RTS games. Although this HD edition is basically the same game as the original, the graphics have been improved slightly (especially the water). The pop cap has also been increased. The best part of this HD edition though is the added Steam Workshop support and there are some truly excellent mods out there to download, from maps to re-skins and UI changes, to game modifications. The added Steam achievements are also cool, presenting you with extra tasks to try to accomplish. This is a good game that is worth your money even after all these years. If you can find it on sale you are getting a very good deal.

98

One of my favorite games ever

This is one first rts games i've played in my life, maybe because i'm kinda sentimental but this games is my favorite rts ever. I like simple but wonderful graphics, fairly big tech-tree, possibility to build your town, regular people and army.. You can see every unit, every npc, like animals for example doing their things, how their actions have impact on buildings, enemies, progressing their works, etc. Age of empires 2 is fairly old game but this, refreshed "hd" edition adds support to new technologies like multi-display, high and widescreen resolutions. Only disadvantage is lack of Linux and MacOS X versions but you can try your luck with Wine, maybe this will run the game on your Linux and MacOS X.
Game has editor so you can create your own maps and share them via steam workshop.
Age of empires 2 HD edition is definitely worth to buy and you should spend your money on it.

80

Great Classic

This game is a classic great. I have owned this game for soo many years and my friends and I still come back to it for a night of awesome civilization building fun! The best part about this game is that you can choose how you want to play. Whether you want to be the kind of player that builds his economy strong or the kind of player that just builds as big an army as you can as fast as you can....this game has a way for you to do it all. Multiplayer with your friends and online is a great way to test your skills beyond just playing the computer bots.
This game is a must for any strategist who wants to put the old brain to use and not just mindlessly shoot things.

100

I'm so happy this game is back

Hm.. So you like strategy games, mate? Yes? No? It doesn't matter - you should buy AoE 2 anyway.
This was first ever strategy game I've played in my life - and I loved it.
I just can't find anything negative about this game. The HD version fixed bug with graphics on win7 and I can finally play it having 100% fun :D
Quick summary:
-Soundtrack - 10/10 (awesome!)
-Graphics(HD or not) - 10/10 (love it!)
-Gameplay - 10/10 (for being as it is)
*WARNING: The game contains tons of good fun! You will love RTS games after playing it!

85

One of the RTS Classics

One of the RTS classics alongside C&C & Starcraft, Age of Empires 2 is brought remastered on steam. Now supporting all HD resolutions, reworked terrain, water & building textures/sprites, it definetly looks better than it did a decade ago. Gameplay is left mostly untouched, with the only notable change being a pop cap increase to 500. Multiplayer is handled through steam, meaning (generally) more stable MP, but with the caveat that LAN got removed from this version.
The constant support and existing features makes this a version to get even if you still have your old copy laying around.

74

Age of Empires II? Hmmph....

So what is this? Is it another strategy game for warfare or a "Build your own Civilization" game? Well it's pretty much both of those combining into one! Age of Empires brings us a very classic but engrossing game that seems like you could get trapped in forever and never realize it. The graphics in the game gives you a relaxed feeling because it isn't too realistic to make you feel that everything depends on you. Perfect for casual gamers. The one thing that astonished me when I started to get more into the game what the fact that the gameplay was extremely well made and I can also play along with my friends which makes this all the more better.

81

Really worth it

This strategic-based game has lots of ways to plan your victory with, you can e.g. Build defensive buildings, choose formations for your troops, and even give them commando's like follow units. You can compete with your friends or other players through the steam servers. This game is really fun and you won't be disappointed if you buy this game.

66

A Classic Resurfaces

The original Age of Empires 2 is possibly my favorite game of all time. On those merits, this game is an easy 10 out of 10. However, this re-release has to stand up based on it's own worth as well as it's original counterpart's. The game does look slightly better than the original Age of Empires 2, but no enough to warrant a rebuy. The main selling point for anyone wishing to buy this is a much-streamlined multiplayer system which allows you to play with friends over steam. For a marginal graphical improvement and an improved multiplayer system, whether this game is worth buying at full price is doubtful.

95

Definitely worth it.

Either if you played the original Age of Empires games, or if you're new to them, Age of Empires II: HD Edition is a game you won't regret playing. Campaigns are interesting, entertaining and challenging. Now, with the better multiplayer support provided by Steam, you can challenge your friends (or unknown people) like never before. This game never gets old. I played the original version, and decided to buy the new one. Worth every penny. Try it out!

80

Nostalgy helps but still good

I remeber playing this game for so many hours when I was young(er).
It's now a bit old regarding new gameplay mechanism but still have the awesome basis.
Still hard, still fun, the "HD" doesn't seem to add much.
I guess new player can be disapointed because the game feels old but if you like RTS it's a must play.

80

Great for Newbies

I have to admit, I never played the original, but I was quite glad when MS finally started making remakes for its great original RTS games.
Gameplay: The game doesnt have much of a story but it does have a few campaigns (with stories) that are fun enough to play through. The gameplay is simple enough with resources to manage and units and buildings to build. You build and army, take it out to the battlefield, and try to annihilate or survive the enemy in order to win the day (and level). Its a tried and true and worth the asking price.
Presentation: The game does look good for what it is and I do appreciate the ability to install workshop content and play at higher widescreen resolutions. I wish, however, that there was some sort of AA (if possible with 2D games) and that the textures were even more updated.
Online: I havent really tried the online gameplay but I hear that the game has been patched quite a bit to fix the launch issues that plagued the game. There isnt much you can expect and the online population on Steam has gone down since launch.
Overall 80/100
I cant wait to try out Age of Mythology HD and Rise of Nations HD

90

Return of a classic

One of the RTS classics alongside C&C & Starcraft, Age of Empires 2 is brought remastered on steam. Now supporting all HD resolutions, reworked terrain, water & building textures/sprites, it definitely looks better than it did a decade ago. Gameplay is left mostly untouched, with the only notable change being a pop cap increase to 500. Multiplayer is handled through steam, meaning (generally) more stable MP, but with the caveat that LAN got removed from this version.
The constant support and existing features makes this a version to get even if you still have your old copy laying around.

85

Endulge in Awesome Nostalgia!

Do you remember Age of Empires 2 fondly? Do you like Conquerors over Age of Kings? This pack contains both of those games, but remastered to run on modern machine and in HD!
If you're anything like me, you'll find the graphics to be a bit worse than you remembered. However, the graphic actually didn't change, the dev up-ed the resolution so now you'll see much more of the screen than before. This allows for better tactics coordination and better micromanagement.
All the campaigns are still better than ever, with awesome (read: cheesy) voice acting accompanying the opening and closing scenes. It sets the mood well, and makes the journey all the more epic! Refresh your history knowledge of Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan, Montezuma and more!
Perhaps the most underused feature this edition features would be the Steam Workshop integration. You'll find a lot of nice textures/model replacement, but unfortunately there isn't many mods that's ambitious or really worth your while. That said, if other modding communities taught me anything, is to give modders time, and they will deliver amazing content.
However, you're not really getting the full experience. You should definitely be investing in The Forgotten Campaign (which ISN'T included in this pack) as that packs in a couple of tightly scripted and designed campaigns and civilizations. The new additions fit perfectly with the existing content, and even perfectly balanced so not one civilization is overpowered.
This HD version is very well done, and will run very well on modern machines. And if you recall playing (and loving) AoE 2, you won't regret reliving your childhood with this HD pack!

75

Solid Remake

I remember loving Age of Empire 2 when I was younger, it was incredibly addicting and the strategy was great.
Playing this again is a joy, if not all to similar. Apart from slightly improved graphics there are no noticeable changes - for some this will be fine but I would have liked a few more additions or changes to improve upon this amazing game.
Integration of the steam workshop is nice addition too. The game certainly looks nicer - but it isn't amazing and altogether it does look a bit dated.
All of these issues don't take away from this being an amazing game. If you don't have it, get it! If you do have the older version, there isn't much new here you won't already have.

90

A Triumphant Return

The Real-Time Strategy game that defined the genre for a generation has returned to us on Steam. Everything you knew and loved about the original game is back, and there are plenty of welcome new additions to go around. At least a couple of AI updates are also in the works, but for now they appear to still be under the knife.
Perhaps the best alterations to the game are the new avenues for community support. Setting up an online game with your friends, or even other random players, has never been easier. On top of that, Steam Workshop integration allows you to easily grab new maps, skins, game types, and dozens of other mods. Most of the updated graphics do look pretty good, but if you want even more eye candy, there are plenty of fan-made graphical mods, and at least one of them is bound to suit your fancy.
This updated release of Age Of Empires II is everything I could have ever wished for, and I definitely have high hopes for the similar re-release of Age Of Mythology. If you're an RTS fan, new or old, definitely check this one out.

90

A True classic

If a 15 year old game is still played and still considered to be a great one, that is a good sign. This is the case with Age of Empires II.
Not much has changed in this "HD reboot", the graphics are still essentially the same and the gameplay is identical. This may upset some, but I find this a positive thing, since I can finally play AoE2 on my PC. The game itself is really fun. It is real-time strategy done perfectly. It is challenging, but enjoyable nonetheless. Since it is on Steam, multiplayer has been added, so now you can fight against your friends.
If you want to play a fantastic RTS on your PC, I highly recommend Age of Empires II HD!